


Lost in Locksley

by Avalon



Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: F/M, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-04-23 03:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4861823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avalon/pseuds/Avalon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One morning Charlotte Harland wakes up and finds herself in Maid Marian's home. Unsure how she got there, she fills the role of Marian, who (along with her father) have mysteriously disappeared, and attempts not to derail the events of her favorite television series. </p><p>Based loosely on the series Lost in Austen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Am I Really In This?

It had started like every other morning for one Charlotte Harland of New Hampshire. The air was crisp in her room, as it usually was when the winter season rolled in, but instead of being met with her fluffy comforter she felt the rough, though equally warm, texture of wool. When she opened her eyes she was met with the sight of wood paneling and beams, and not the white cottage-cheese-like ceiling she had grown accustomed to.

She groaned and rolled over to her side, closing her eyes again deciding that she must still be dreaming. Then she heard the distinct sound of a horse's whinny, as well as a faint bleat from a goat. Her brow furrowed and she opened her eyes again, tiredly. Where her bedside table would be was empty space. In fact, that side of the room seemed very sparse.

Charlotte sat up quickly, looking more thoroughly around the room. It seemed familiar, though she couldn't pin why. Thin green fabric hung from the ceiling creating a canopy for the bed, giving the room some decor. The wall opposite the bed had a small fireplace; Charlotte could see some embers still burning. To her left were two windows, shuttered, with a small dresser pushed up against the wall under the windows.

Now even more confused as to where she was, Charlotte fell back into bed and looked up at the green fabric that gracefully canopied over her. The sight seemed so familiar… She tilted her head, just a bit, and was suddenly overcome with recognition.

_But… I couldn't possibly be-_

A sudden rapping at a door below her made her jump and yelp. She covered her mouth, irrationally thinking it would stop whoever it was from knowing she was here.

 **"** M'lady," a young voice called out. "I have yer eggs!"

Charlotte's eyes widened and she jumped out of bed, hand still covering her mouth as she cracked open the shutters of the window.

 _Oh no. No, no, no,_ she thought, as she took in the scenery.

From her room she could see the stables that connected to the house, and what she imagined to be the servants housing across the yard, though it looked empty. Both buildings, and she imagined the house she was in, had straw roofing which was _definitely_ not the norm in her neighborhood.

 _Well, at least I have more confirmation that I'm not at home,_ Charlotte thought sarcastically.

"Ma'am?"

Charlotte jumped again, having forgotten about the boy who stood below. He was looking up at her now, brows raised, clearly wondering what her problem was.

She closed the shutters and quickly assessed her clothing, not knowing whether to be pleased or terrified that she was still wearing the pajamas she had picked out before bed the evening prior.

 _Okay, if I actually am in, dare I even say it,_ Charlotte thought reluctantly. _If I'm in_ _ **Locksley**_ _,_ _I doubt answering the door with brightly dyed pajamas from the 21st century is going to make this any easier._

She moved over to the dresser and ruffled through the drawers, finally finding a robe. She clumsily put it on while walking down the stairs, looking around cautiously for another person. After all, if her memory served, this was supposed to be Marian's house, but she found no one. Though her thoughts were confirmed when she glanced around the main floor of the house; not a soul, and it was indeed the house she remembered from watching the Robin Hood series. Finally, she made her way to the front door, and opened it to find a young boy holding a basket of eggs.

"About time! I still need to hand out more to of the folks in Locksley before the Sheriff shows up." The boy held out two eggs for Charlotte to take. He had to be about eleven or so; his face was dirty from early morning work and he wore a worn hat that Charlotte imagined was his father's.

 _Locksley!_ Charlotte thought excitedly. _So this is… But how…_

"Thank you," she said quickly, taking the eggs. She tried to smile in a natural way, but she could tell the boy knew something was off. However, he just tipped his small hat and ran off, seemingly not interested enough to ask questions.

"I'm at Marian's house?" She asked aloud, her tone incredulous. She brought her free hand up to rub her forehead, looking at the all too familiar stable and walkway with a frustrated grimace.

Now, Charlotte knew that Locksley was, in fact, a real place. "Real" here meaning that there were sets built for the show that centered around Robin Hood that she had ardently watched. She had dreamed of visiting the set once upon a time, and now here she was! Except for that boy who seemed immersed in his role…

Charlotte looked upwards for any signs of cameras on cranes but saw nothing. She hadn't even heard "Action!" before the boy arrived, so perhaps this wasn't the set.

 _Perhaps,_ Charlotte huffed inwardly. _It sure as hell isn't a set since I_ _ **woke up here**_ _!_

That was if she was awake. She sure felt awake.

Sighing, she leaned against the door and rubbed her temples.

 _What kind of joke is this? Maybe I'm in a coma and this is my brain's way of entertaining me. - Oh god, I hope my parents are all right._ She thought worriedly.

The faint sound of horses galloping tore Charlotte's attention away from her own thoughts. She retreated back into the house and closed the door up tight, locking it.

 _I'll just pretend that I'm not home. Whomever it is will have to go away._ Charlotte reasoned.

She walked back into a room she had never had the chance to see while watching the series, the kitchen. It was about as underwhelming as she predicted, and had no means of keeping food cold.

_Shouldn't be too hard. I'll just eat when I have to. No overstocking._

She placed the eggs on the counter, then went to explore the other rooms she hadn't seen. The bathroom was next door to the kitchen; It was small, had one wooden tub that sat in the center, a chamber pot in one corner, and a good sized mirror hung on the wall next to a table with cloth towels next to the chamber pot.

Charlotte took the chance to see how she looked. Her long auburn hair was a tangled mess, though she didn't quite understand how. She felt as though she slept like a rock.

 _No one ever said universe-traveling was kind to the hair,_ she jested as she raised an eyebrow to her own reflection.

Her appearance didn't look as out of place as she thought she would; the robe she had on made her look as though she belonged in the time of no refrigerators or lightbulbs. She grinned at her reflection, then turned to walk back into the living area of the house.

She could hear the hoof beats coming closer to the house, so she ran back up the stairs and cracked open her shutters in an attempt to catch a glimpse of whomever was riding by. However, it seemed the horses were slowing down as they neared the entry way, but Charlotte couldn't see who it was until they were further in the small courtyard of the home.

"How you aren't as hungry as I am is outstanding," one voice, Charlotte recognized as Much, complained.

"We'll get food after we're done here," another voice replied. Charlotte also recognized this voice; It belonged to the one, the only: Robin Hood.

She felt her face burn up as she thought about meeting these two face to face. She closed the shutters a little more so they could not see her just as they rode into the courtyard.

 _Well, this is happening,_ she thought with mild alarm.

"Edward?" Robin called out as he and Much dismounted. They headed towards the front door.

Charlotte sunk underneath the window in a fruitless attempt to hide.

 _Edward? Who's - Oh no. Marian's father. Who clearly isn't here. And neither is Marian. Perhaps if I stay silent they'll leave,_ she thought, knowing how foolish it sounded.

"Seems like they're not here," Much began. "Let's go back to the Manor and eat," he suggested.

"The horses are here," Robin observed.

Charlotte cringed, having not thought of the many clues that alluded to someone being at home. She carefully, though not as stealthily as she would have liked, moved away from the windows looking for anything that could help her out of this situation.

_Marian's dad is supposed to run them off, right? And Marian for that matter. Do I do the same?_

"Edward Knighton!" Robin called, now knocking on the door.

Plucking up enough courage, Charlotte finally ran down the stairs and pulled open the door unceremoniously. At the sight of the two men, she definitely regretted not thinking of a proper plan for _after_ she opened the door.

"Marian," Robin said surprised, brows raised. He looked exactly as Charlotte remembered; though having him be just a few feet away made butterflies swarm in her stomach. Much stood behind Robin, clearly wishing to be someplace else, but spared her a smile. She didn't mind, after all she knew how hungry he had to be.

Thinking quickly, she decided to play it as if she were Marian; No letting Robin charm her. She had to be a bit standoffish.

"What do you want?" She asked, perhaps a bit too harshly, but she was never much of an actress. Laying it on thick would have to do for now.

Robin smirked, clearly amused at her behavior. "We wish to speak with your father," he said politely, clasping his hands behind his back.

"He's… gone," Charlotte said slowly, crossing her arms in discomfort. She was never a good liar, but technically her lie wasn't a lie. He wasn't here after all.

¬Both Much and Robin's faces fell at the news. Charlotte also frowned, not realizing her words could be taken the most terrible of ways.

"What happened?" Robin asked remorsefully as he stepped closer to her.

She stepped backwards involuntarily, feeling shy suddenly.

 _Having a fictional crush invade your personal space can do that to a person,_ she noted.

She grabbed the door handle to steady herself and attempted to explain. "He became ill. I'd rather not talk about it," she said quickly, darting her eyes away from Robin.

"I'm sorry," he looked back to Much who held a look of sadness. "We didn't know," Robin apologized.

"Now you do," Charlotte replied finally looking at the two mean again, tilting her chin up as she attempted to look both saddened and strong.

_How did Marian speak to him? I can hardly form proper sentences. I suppose that was whole reason she could - because every other girl fawned over him. Supposedly._

"If there's anything you need," Robin began, reaching for her hand.

 _Oh, now he's just laying it on thick,_ Charlotte thought, nearly laughing aloud.

"I'll tend to it myself," she finished for him. She moved the hand he was reaching for behind her, and began to retreat back into the house. "If there's nothing else, I suggest you take your leave," she suggested looking from Robin to Much.

Neither party said anything, and Robin was eyeing her with a fair amount of amusement. She looked around awkwardly before retreating fully into the house and shutting the door. She exhaled, leaning against the closed door.

_That wasn't so bad._

She could hear Robin and Much walking back to their horses, as well as the small conversation they were having.

"Interesting," Robin said.

"Interesting? That was unbelievable," Much said, his tone melancholy.

Charlotte slid over to the window that was a few feet away and cracked the shutters to watch them leave.

"She is still unmarried," Robin commented, looking thoughtful as he hopped back onto his horse.

Charlotte snorted a laugh. _They cannot seriously be having the same conversation as they did in the show._

"Oh!" Much huffed, "And I thought you came to see the old sheriff!" He, too, hopped back onto his horse.

"I did!" Robin replied defensively, lightly kicking his horse so it began to trot away.

Charlotte grinned as she watched Much's look of outrage.

"Oh please," Much scoffed, directing his horse to follow.

Charlotte stepped away from the window, listening to the hoofbeats fade off into the distance. She walked slowly around the room, allowing herself to a moment to think. She crossed, and uncrossed her arms as she paced.

_Well, this can't be a dream. Usually don't have boring bits. What did Marian even do when she wasn't on screen? - Oh right, sit in her trailer because it was a_ _**television series.** _

She stopped walking, spinning on her heel as she came to halt and sighed frustratedly.

 _Well, perhaps I should get dressed lest anyone else comes to the house._ Charlotte finally decided, heading back upstairs to her- _Marian's_ room.

She browsed through Marian's colorful wardrobe, smiling with pleasure as she ran her hands over the various fabrics. She found many outfits that she had seen Marian wear, among a few she did not recognize and chose one of the later to wear. It was a simple forest green linen dress, clearly made for everyday work around the estate. It felt worn, which made it comfortable for Charlotte, even if it was a little short for her 5'9" body.

 _At least the bottom won't drag on the floor,_ she thought optimistically.

As she glanced at her bare feet, she realized she didn't bring any footwear- _Thank you time-universe-travel -_ and looked around Marian's room for a pair. Lucky for Charlotte, Marian kept a pair of knee-high boots under her bed. She pushed her feet in the boots with ease, and tied up the laces feeling more like a pirate than Marian of Knighton.

She then headed downstairs to the bathroom to use the mirror to take in her new appearance.

_Not too shabby._

A heavy rap on the door made Charlotte jump.

 _Again? Really?_ She shook her head in disbelief at her easy scare.

When she opened the door, she found herself face to face with Guy of Gisborne.

"There you are." He stated, appraising her.

Charlotte blushed, allowing herself a moment to commit this moment to memory. While she never was too fond of Guy when she watched the series, she couldn't deny that he was one fine example of man. Dark wavy hair, broad shoulders… She was beginning to understand Marian's reluctance to cut him loose.

_Remember, he will stop at nothing to get rid of Robin. More than once he threatened Marian… But he and Robin were almost brothers once, perhaps there's someway to fix this before Guy completely goes off the deep end and kills…me..._

"Here I am," she replied, crossing her arms. Her discomfort from her own thoughts showing through her body language

Guy stared at her, his gaze contemplative. He seemed to be waiting for her to do or say something. "Well, come on," he finally ordered, turning away from her and walking to the black horse that stood in the courtyard.

"Er, where is it we're going?" She asked, following him outside.

"To court," he answered dully as he grabbed the reigns of the steed.

 _To court? Why would I need to go there?_ Charlotte's brain raced for answer, but couldn't quite remember what took place after Marian drove Robin away.

Guy turned to look at her expectantly, then motioned his head towards the horse, gesturing her to get on.

"Oh, no, I can't-" Charlotte began nervously. She had never been a big fan of horses, and in turn she had never ridden one.

Guy sighed impatiently, and offered his hand to her along with a forced smile.

 _Well isn't he sunshine and rainbows._ _What is that saying? You've got to jump on the horse? Jump back on?_

She stepped forward reluctantly, placing her hand into Guy's as she stepped next to him. In a swift motion, he released her hand and lifted her up onto the saddle causing Charlotte to expel an surprised and undignified snort. He jumped up onto the saddle behind her and lead the horse onto the main road, the town of Nottingham on the horizon.

The distance from Knighton Hall to Nottingham wasn't too far, in fact most of the horizon was the walls of Nottingham town. The town was surrounded by the forest, and Charlotte found it a beautiful sight. That was, until they came closer and the desolation of the town became clearer to Charlotte. The soil near the gates was a dark, unhealthy color probably due to poor sewer systems, and no greenery could be found along the stone walls. As they trotted over the mote bridge (a rather poor excuse for one, Charlotte noted) she saw families simply sitting among the damp earth, looking just as unhealthily as the soil. Whether or not Guy was discomforted by the sight of the poor, Charlotte couldn't tell.

 _Not as grandeur as I was imagining it would be,_ Charlotte noted.

She also noted that Guy was being very courteous as they rode into town. She hadn't expected him to "cop a feel" or anything so brash, but she had expected subtle flirting.

_Perhaps I read his and Marian's relationship wrong…_

Guy stopped the horse in front of the Castle entryway, slid off the horse and offered his hand to Charlotte. She took it and, with more grace than she thought she could manage, hopped to the ground.

"I have to speak with the sheriff. Go wait in the council chambers," Guy suggested dryly, and disappeared inside the massive building.

Charlotte exhaled and looked around, wearing an expression of discomfort. Behind her was the main square, if she had to guess. She could see an executioner's stage off to the right, and the poor excuse for a market down the main road of the town. She turned back around and cautiously stepped inside the large doors. She was met with two guards who stood near the doors, and didn't acknowledge her as she stepped forward.

_Right. Council chambers… I have no idea where that is._

Charlotte's gaze turned to one of the guards, who held the same befuddled expression she saw on that boy with the eggs. She cleared her throat awkwardly, before walking over to him. "Um, you wouldn't happen to know here the council chambers are? I seem to have forgotten where-"

"Down that hall and to the right," he replied dully, looking past her.

"Right. Thank you," she replied, a bit put off by his cold tone.

She walked past him, slowly making her way down the hall as she took in her surroundings. The inside of the castle was, by no means, welcoming. Charlotte hadn't thought being in a castle would feel so… cold. There were no grand tapestries, or heads of animals killed. Just barren stone walls with the occasional mounted torch.

When she entered the council room she found it filled with a handful of men she didn't recognize, though she wasn't surprised by the fact. She shuffled down the stairs and to the back of the room, where she leaned against the stone wall with her arms crossed.

_Lay low. Perhaps no one will speak to you… Why am I even here?_

The men sat in chairs that were set in up in a half circle, facing a long table where an empty throne-like chair sat empty. Next to the chair was a perch where a crow sat contently. At first glance Charlotte thought perhaps the crow as stuffed, but as she watched it, it moved its head and crowed.

 _Who keeps pet crows?_ Charlotte winkled her nose in disgust.

The men spoke in low tones, so Charlotte was unable to hear the topic of conversation. She assumed it had something to do with the sheriff since he was currently running the town into the ground. She wondered how bad the situation truly was, since the televisions show only showed bits and pieces.

Her thoughts were disrupted by the loud, echoing footsteps coming from above her. The room quieted as the two sets of footsteps walked down the stairs. When the two finally reached the ground floor, she could finally see it was the sheriff and Guy.

 _The silence should have given that away,_ she scolded herself.

The sheriff, who was wearing a fur hat and shaw, walked proudly across the room and sat in the throne-like chair. He sat sloppily and Charlotte couldn't help but sneer at his smug demeanor. Guy walked behind the sheriff, ending up at the sheriff's right side.

_Hmph. Right hand man, eh?_

"It has been a good month," one of the men began. "We've collected nearly 300 pounds." He rose from his seat, walking to the table where the sheriff sat and placed a leather pouch into the sheriff's hand.

Charlotte raised her eyebrows. _That's a hell of a lot of money for… What year is this?_

The sheriff shushed him, though looked at the pouch with interest. The man backed away slowly, returning to his seat.

"Would you want to be the king in Antioch?" The sheriff asked rather snidely, as he looked about the room. "A clue: no. Trying to feed a starving army on 300 pounds." He landed he gaze back on the man who handed him the pouch, and pointed. "You promised 500 pounds."

"It's more than we have managed before," the man said weakly.

"Oh yipee," the sheriff retorted.

 _What a snipe,_ Charlotte thought bitterly.

"So the king is starving in the Holy Land, and you have failed him," the Sheriff shot a look at the same man. "But _it's more than we've managed before_ ," he mocked, before throwing the pouch to the floor.

"Robin of Locksley!" A guard announced from above Charlotte.

"Morning everyone!" Robin greeted cheerfully. He and Much bounded down the steps, Robin throwing his coat haphazardly onto a guard's spear, while Much looked afraid of his friend's cockiness.

"Sheriff," Robin greeted as he made his way to an empty seat. He turned around to toss Much his sword, and caught Charlotte's gaze. He looked at her quizzically, before plopping down in the chair. "Well, carry on," he insisted.

"Locksley, welcome back." The sheriff's tone held no warmth, unsurprisingly. "I trust Sir Guy of Gisborne has managed your estates to your satisfaction."

At his mention, Charlotte looked over at Guy who had an air of smugness about him. It reminded Charlotte of a way brothers would act around each other as a father praised one of them. One smug while the other felt insignificant. However, it was unlikely that Robin would ever feel insignificant in Charlotte's opinion.

"I believe he may have managed them to _your_ satisfaction."

Charlotte couldn't see Robin's face, but no doubt he threw Guy an unimpressed look if Guy's reaction was anything to go by.

 _These men are fools,_ Charlotte thought, looking to the ground.

As the conversation went on, Charlotte began to remember where this "episode" was headed. The more Robin talked of kindness towards the people of Nottingham, the more the Sheriff became irked. The more the sheriff became irked, the more trouble Robin was in for. Indirectly, of course. It saddened and frustrated Charlotte to think of things that would come to pass. She began to think she could change such events.

She tuned back into the conversation as Robin ended his small speech about Market Day. He was not leaning on the table where the Sheriff sat, looking at the men who sat in front of him.

"We must help every man, every peasant, every pieman and every pinner provide for his family. Get them trading again!" Robin exclaimed. As Robin headed back to his seat, Charlotte could see that some of the men were contemplating Robin's words, however the sheriff didn't give them long to do so.

He stood, and began pacing behind his table as he choice his words carefully. "A man who can… provide for his family is a comfortable man. A _lazy_ man. Doesn't want to work."

Some of the men muttered agreements as the sheriff spoke. Robin continued to smile, however his annoyance at the sheriff was clear.

"What we need are hungry men." The sheriff leaned on the table for emphasis, looking at everyone in the room. "Our noble friend here tends to forget that hungry men," he pushed off the table and returned to his chair. "Are virtuous." He looked directly at Robin, looking pleased with the outcome of his speech.

"Then what exactly does that make you?" Charlotte asked.

Everyone in the room turned their heads in Charlotte's direction, and she suddenly regretted her outburst.

 _What happened to "_ lay low", _Charlotte? Well, can't stop now._

"Excuse me?" The sheriff asked in a warning tone.

Charlotte pushed of the wall, uncrossing her arms and looking around the room casually. "Well, as we are all men, excluding yours truly, of full bellies I'd say we're the opposite of virtuous. By your definition, of course." She walked forward a few steps as she spoke, stopping behind the council's chairs.

She looked to Guy first, eager to see his shocked expression and was not disappointed. He looked paralyzed. She then turned her gaze to Robin, who looked like the cat who ate the canary.

The sheriff cleared his throat, looking at Charlotte with a warning gaze. "I think this meeting is over," he said definitely.

The other men in the room stood quickly, wanting to leave the room as quickly as possible. Charlotte followed the rest of the men out, avoiding the sheriff's and Gisborne's gazes.

 _Well, that went as well as one could hope,_ she thought hopefully.

While the other nobles made for the castle entrance, Charlotte felt torn at her destination.

_Marian is supposed to talk to Robin to come speak with her father, but as her father is now gone and I'm Marian that won't quite work. Besides, this time I slighted the sheriff. Where am supposed to be now?_

While she looked around in confused desperation, Robin exited the council chambers.

"There you are."

Charlotte spun around quickly to face him, but was taken by the hand down a hallway well out of earshot of any guards or the sheriff.

_Well, this is new._

"Warn a woman next time," Charlotte muttered, taking her hand out of his grasp. They stood close together, and Charlotte felt her face flush once again.

"What was that back there?" Robin asked. He had a small grin on his face, clearly amused at her outburst.

"What? _That?"_ Charlotte waved her hand nonchalantly. "It was nothing, just an observation."

"An observation." Robin repeated, now smirking.

_Oh no. I'm not supposed to encourage Robin, am I? Though, that smirk is…_ _**Focus** _ _Charlotte!_

"Mmhmm, just an observation. No need to dwell on it," she said quickly. "In fact, were I you, I'd keep a low profile."

Robin huffed a laugh. "Like your fine example, I suppose."

"I… had a moment of weakness. I don't go looking for trouble, like some I could mention."

"Me?" Robin asked, shocked. "I wasn't the one calling the sheriff weak and corrupt." His speech was torn between being exasperated and entertained.

Charlotte crossed her arms defiantly. "I didn't use those words."

"You might as well have. Shouldn't _you_ be quiet and agreeable since your father is gone?" He asked in a measured tone.

 _I hadn't thought about that. Not that Marian's father really kept Marian safe, physically anyhow. With him gone does that mean I'm up for grabs for marriage? Well, more so than if "my" father were here?_ She panicked.

"I…" She began worriedly.

"Hey." Robin stepped forward, and placed his hand on her arm. "I'll watch out for you." He said softly.

Charlotte appreciated his intent, even though he didn't know the reason for her worry.

"Shouldn't you be… going somewhere?" She deflected.

Robin stood up straight, looking around before speaking. "I thought I may visit the Sheriff's prisoners."

"Right," Charlotte nodded knowingly. "The Scarlett brothers."

"You have heard of their crimes then?" Robin asked, surprised.

"Overheard," Charlotte lied. "You wouldn't mind if I tagged along?"

"By all means," he replied with a small grin, and an outreached arm gesturing down the hall.

When she and Robin exited to the main entryway, Much met up with them. He give Charlotte a friendly smile, though she could tell he was feeling impatient and worried. The walk to the dungeons was silent, allowing Charlotte to take in how utterly terrible the halls leading to the dungeons were. The walls were bare of any tapestries and even less torches hung on the walls, making the whole walk ominous. It didn't get any better when the three entered the first level of the dungeon.

Charlotte coughed, unable to stand the stench of, what had to be, piss and feces.

The Dungeon Master (Charlotte assumed that was what he was called) met them at the top of the stairs. Robin expressed his want to see the men from his village who were accused of stealing, and so the four of them ventured further into the halls. Charlotte felt unease at the whole situation and was beginning to rethink her plan of following the men down here, but tried to snap herself out of it.

"Bring the Locksley lot," the Dungeon Master ordered one of the guards when the four finally reached the first handful of cells. Charlotte stopped and looked around with an expression of sorrow and disgust on her face that she couldn't hide. She blamed the stench.

The Dungeon Master then started walking up stairs into, what Charlotte imagined to be, the interrogation chambers. One of the prisoners began to call out, but Robin and Much followed silently and ignored whomever it was. Charlotte recognized the voice as Allan a Dale's, but she couldn't remember why he had been imprisoned.

When Robin realized Charlotte wasn't behind them, he turned around. "Marian?" He looked at her carefully, as if trying to read her thoughts.

"I'm coming." Charlotte reached for her dress, lifting it up so she could jog up the stairs.

They came to a stop in the "interrogation room", and waited for the Scarlett brothers to be brought in. When the brothers arrived, Charlotte could tell they had had one hell of a night.

"Give your names," the Dungeon master ordered.

"Will and Luke Scarlett," Will replied, with barely contained distain.

Charlotte grimaced. Perhaps coming here was a bad idea.

"What is your crime?" Robin asked, somberly.

"Living in the wrong place at the wrong time," Will answered again. "Living under an evil sheriff." His tone was surprisingly snarky for one who was at the mercy of the terrible lot that ran the prison. "Where do our taxes go?" He continued, deadpanned. "They go to Nottingham. To the sheriff. To his bird-" A resounding slap disrupted his speech, and launched him nearly to the floor.

Charlotte loudly gasped, unable to conceal her shock. Robin glanced back at her, clearly worried at her reaction. She gave him, what she hoped, was a reassuring look before he turned back towards the prisoners.

The Dungeon Master called for the other boy's name, Benedict, who admitted to stealing flour.

He looked to be about 16 or 17, but he seemed so much younger to Charlotte. All three of them were dressed in week old clothing, and it was obvious that while they had some food in their bellies, they weren't getting the amount they truly needed.

_How can people live like this? Watching other people suffer so obviously?_

"What is your punishment?" Robin asked softly.

Benedict shook his head and muttered, "I dunno…"

Much glanced to the Dungeon Master, who made a pulling gesture at his neck with his hand. Charlotte's eyes narrowed.

" _A hanging?_ " Both she and Much shouted.

"No! Surely not!" Much exclaimed.

The three boys looked terrified, and began shouting all at once. Charlotte remembered this, but it still stung watching it play out.

"My dad told me you'd save us!" Luke shouted, as the guards took him, his brother, and Benedict out of the room.

Robin locked eyes with her, looking very much like a sad puppy. She would have found it amusing in another situation, but all she felt now as empathy and fear.

Much was arguing with the Dungeon Master, but Charlotte barely heard a word. She was trying to think of a way to help them. _What happened after this?_ She couldn't remember specifics.

"I'll be speaking to the sheriff." Robin's stern voice broke the argument. "Meanwhile, you will treat these prisoners well, or you will have me to answer to."

Charlotte took note that the Dungeon Master didn't look all that impressed.

"You've got one more," was all he replied.

The guards pushed Alan a Dale into the room, and Charlotte had to suppress a groan. She liked Alan, once he stopped being a ponce, but she knew it would be a long while before he got his head out of his arse. _I wonder if I can change that…_

Robin and Much were unimpressed with him almost immediately. Charlotte smirked at the sight.

"Your lies today may be your undoing!" Robin exclaimed, clearly exasperated. "I cannot save the others, and now I fear you will share their fate."

"What fate?" Alan asked, suddenly grasping the severity of Robin's words.

Robin shook his head, rose from his chair, and made for the doors behind the guards. Much followed, while Charlotte stared on. Robin doubled back, shaking his head again, as he grabbed she wrist softly and lead her out of the room. Alan stared after her with confusion before turing to the guards and declaring he wasn't _actually_ from Locksley.

The three of them were quiet as they ascended the stairs from the dungeon. Robin's hand still kept it's hold on her wrist, and she'd be lying if Charlotte said she didn't feel a little flustered at the touch.

When the finally came upon the dinning hall, Robin stopped outside the doors and turned to her. "I have to speak with the sheriff, but I would like to speak with you after, if you'd allow it."

Charlotte nodded somberly, and he let go of her to go into the hall. Much nodded politely at her, before following his friend inside.

Charlotte let out a big sigh, looking around at her surroundings. She had no idea where Guy had gone, not that she really wanted to face him after her outburst. However, he had been her ride here, and he nor his horse seemed to have disappeared.

Resigning herself to walking back, she gave another sigh and started towards the gates of the city.

 _The ride over was only 5 minutes or so, so it shouldn't be too much of a walk. At least Marian's house was on the main road. Can't get lost,"_ Charlotte thought.

And that proved true. The walk took around 15 minutes, and despite having to walk though a road that was sheltered by the forest she hadn't felt afraid. She wasn't sure how this… world worked. If she got injured here, would it really hurt? Would she wake up from some weird dream?

She was still pondering it as she opened the door to Marian's house. The house was quiet; It seemed that Marian's father was still gone. She locked the door this time, though she wasn't sure if it would do much to prevent someone from breaking in. She felt safe here… But the lack of proper glass windows or locks had her feeling exposed. Especially since she was here alone.

_Perhaps I'll get myself a dog. A big one._

She walked back to the kitchen and grabbed an apple that sat atop the counter. She wasn't too hungry yet, but she knew that she would have to face making herself meals sooner or later. The apple would have to do for now.

She felt more tired than hungry anyway.

By the time she finished with the apple it was getting dark, so Charlotte trudged up the stairs and to the bedroom.

 _Now, how do I light these candles?_ She looked around the room for things that would help, but wasn't successful.

 _Brilliant. No electricity, and you have no idea how to light a fire. I should have joined Girl Scouts when I was younger,_ she chided herself. _Might as well just sleep. I'll look for ways to light the fire tomorrow morning._

She didn't bother changing out of her dress, as it was comfortable enough. Plus it added an extra layer of warmth, though Charlotte was unsure if she needed it.

 _I don't even know what season it is,_ she realized.

She closed her eyes, beginning to feel overwhelmingly frustrated with her situation. There was no one here that was from her life. How was she supposed to take care of herself if she couldn't even find a way to light a fire? Who could she trust? Where was her supposed father? Were all these people real, or were they the actors she knew them to be? **How did she even get here?**

It wasn't long before these endless questions rocked her to sleep.


	2. Save the Scarlett Boys

An insistent, albeit soft, knock woke Charlotte from her slumber and she couldn't shake the deja vu that washed over her. For a brief moment she believed when she opened her eyes she would be back in her bedroom, but when she opened her eyes she was met with the green drapery that hung from Marian's ceiling. Still not a dream, it would seem.

 _What time is it?_ She wondered, as she rubbed her eyes. It was completely dark outside, and she wasn't sure how long she had even been asleep.

"Marian!" Robin called from outside.

_Well, at least I know I'm not about to be murdered. Unless I fall down the very dark staircase._

She walked over to her window and squinted down at Robin, who was accompanied by Much. They were illuminated by the torch Much held, and Charlotte felt relieved that they had light.

_At least I won't make a complete arse of myself trying to find something to light the candles._

They couldn't see her due to the lack of light coming from her own room, so Charlotte carefully descended the stairs to open the door. When she did, the two men seemed surprised at how dark her home was.

"Oh, were you sleeping?" Robin asked, chagrined.

"A bit," Charlotte admitted. "What brings you here, at such a late hour?" She asked, before adding, "Or is it before dawn?"

Robin chuckled at her confusion, while Much looked worried.

_Oh yes, they just had a chat with the sheriff. That's why they're here: to talk to the former Sheriff who has apparently ceased to exist._

"Ah, well," Robin began, scratching the back of his neck. "Can we come in?" He gestured to himself and Much.

"Oh! Yes, of course." Charlotte pushed the door open further and stepped back to let them in.

"Gods, it's dark in here," Much said, holding his torch out further to see around the living room.

Charlotte blushed, embarrassed at her inability to find something to light the candles with _before_ they were inside. "I, uh… Couldn't find something to light the candles with." She rocked back on her heels in an attempt not to seem too flustered.

Robin grinned at her, seemingly amused with her confession.

"Right, then we'll light some," Much offered with a smile.

He began to light the many candles that were scattered across the room, while she and Robin lit a fire in the fireplace.

"You wouldn't happen to have any leftovers?" Much asked as he neared the kitchen, and received a glare from Robin.

"Much!" Robin scolded.

"What? I'm sure we could all use a little midnight snack!"

Charlotte grinned and walked towards Much. "I'm not sure what we have but I'm sure there's something that can be made up."

Much smirked at Robin and followed Charlotte into the kitchen. When the searched the cupboards they only found a few apples and a bag of flour of debatable freshness. Much begrudgingly took an apple and walked back out into the living room.

Robin had finished lighting the candles, leaving the room with a pleasant warm glow. It felt romantic to Charlotte, having never been in a room solely lit by candles before.

"So, I assume you didn't come here to eat apples," Charlotte ventured as she walked over to him. He sat on one of the chairs near the fireplace, so Charlotte took the opposing seat.

"No," Robin replied somberly, glancing over at her.

"The sheriff plans to hang the Scarlett boys, among others, tomorrow," Much provided after Robin didn't elaborate.

Charlotte grimaced. _I had forgotten that all happens in the span of two days._ "Oh," she replied softly.

Robin sighed, "I just don't understand such cruelty. Your father would have never stood for this as Sheriff." He shook his head as he gazed into the fireplace.

"No, I daresay he wouldn't." _I just used "daresay" in conversation and it was actually relevant._

There was a brief silence after her words, which was only broken by Much biting into his apple.

Charlotte thought about the response she was supposed to give. Marian and her father attempted to dissuade Robin from fighting back against the sheriff… But Marian's father wasn't here now. He was the only reason Marian stayed in Locksley and dealt with Guy and the Sheriff. Charlotte didn't have such attachments to worry about.

"Someone should stop the execution," she blurted out.

Robin's head snapped up, surprised at her words.

"What?" Much squeaked.

"Well," Charlotte began, thinking over her words before she continued. "The sheriff clearly is making a statement. He wants everyone to fear him, and the power he holds. But he's corrupted what being a sheriff should be!" She stood up, now heated by her own argument, and began to pace.

Robin watched her with a look of amusement and amazement, while Much looked taken aback at her actions.

"I mean, what does he even do with all the money he's taking from people? Eat it all? He doesn't even have a mistress!" She threw her hands out in an exasperated motion. "And Guy! Why does he align himself with the Sheriff? Really, if you're going to be corrupt you might as well have some clear objective."

Robin stood and caught her hand to stop Charlotte from walking. "I can see you've thought about this a lot," he chuckled.

She blushed, both from slight embarrassment and his hand holding hers. "You could say that."

"I won't let people die over such petty offenses." He squeezed her hand. "I promise.

His tone was so serious Charlotte would not have doubted him for the world, so she gave him a squeeze back.

"Excuse me," Much interjected, "but taking on the Sheriff sounds like a _terrible_ idea! We could die! And then where would the town be?" He walked over to the two of them and gave them both astonished looks. "Am I the only one here realizing we are outnumbered?"

Robin grinned. "Outnumbered we may be, but we out-skill all those men. Or have you already forgotten how well we fought together in the Holy Lands?"

Much stuttered, clearly wanting to argue but not able to disagree with that statement. "Ok, fine. Yes, we are skilled. Skilled enough to save the Scarlett brothers anyhow."

Charlotte grinned at the two men. "Good! We're all in a agreement then."

"Hold on," Robin said. "What exactly do you think you'll be doing?" He asked Charlotte worriedly.

She shrugged. "Standing by and looking innocent? I have no training, but I want to help in anyway I can." It wasn't a lie, though Charlotte wasn't sure how she would help like Marian did before. That was, if her help was even necessary after this talk.

"Just… stay safe. We'll publicly release them tomorrow. I doubt it will come to blows, but the Sheriff is already bloodthirsty." Robin gave her hand another squeeze before letting go and starting for the door.

Charlotte followed them as the walked outside and to their horses.

"We'll try and find another way to stall the hanging. Something that doesn't pit me against the Sheriff publicly, but if that fails… Then we'll do what needs to be done," Robin said as he and Much mounted their horses.

"Yes, hopefully something that doesn't involve us getting maimed would be preferable," Much added.

"I see you then," affirmed Charlotte.

The two nodded at her, then led their horses to the road before galloping off towards town. The sun was already rising, and Charlotte knew it wouldn't be too long before the trial would begin.

—

When Charlotte arrived at the city square the gallows were already set up and the entire town was there. She spied Dan Scarlett hovering nervously by the stage, and it set her on edge. She knew that his sons would survive, but being here made her doubt how well the plan would suss out.

She hid away from Guy as she could tell Guy was looking for her. He stood in a shadowed alcove near the large doors to the castle, looming over the square. She didn't wish to pretend to be on his side, especially since she had nothing to gain. Nor did she wish to leverage for Robin. If things when wrong, she was sure Guy would use her as bait to stop Robin from doing what needed to be done.

The crowd suddenly became restless and shouts of dismay rang out. Charlotte stood on her tip-toes to see what caused such an uproar and was met with the solemn faces of Much and Robin.

 _I hope this works out,_ she prayed silently from her spot near the wall of the square.

They walked slowly through the crowd, and only stopped when a woman spat in Robin's face. He looked distressed, and perhaps rightly annoyed, but he didn't retaliate. When they reached Dan, Robin grimaced and wouldn't meet the man's gaze.

"S'alright Robin. It's not your fault," he said, shaking his head. He seemed to be in disbelief, and Charlotte couldn't blame him. Everything had escalated so quickly.

The large doors opening caused everyone's attention to draw to the Sheriff who was finally entering the square. Robin and Much made their way to the Sheriff and took their place next to him.

"Lords! Ladies!" He gestured at the people gathered, "People of Nottingham."

Charlotte held her breath as she waited for Robin to say something. He kept his expression stern as the Sheriff spoke.

"We are gathered here today to witness the carrying out of justice in the name of God and King Richard," he drawled. He brought the rolled up Proclamation of Justice to his mouth and shouted, "Bring out the prisoners!"

Charlotte began to wring her hands together nervously.

"Robin of Locksley," The Sheriff continued as the Scarlett boys and Allan trudged to the gallows. "Earl of Huntington, having recently returned from the Holy War with a personal commendation from the King himself will read the proclamation." The Sheriff held the rolled up parchment to Robin's face.

Robin took it silently, and began to unroll it.

"Enjoy," the Sheriff added.

 _Oh, I'd enjoy stuffing my boot up your arse,_ Charlotte thought darkly.

She saw the Sheriff mutter something to Robin, who in turn looked up to the railing that overlooked the square. When she followed his eyes, she spotted Much being held by two guards.

 _Dammit! How could I forget that? And how did they snatch him so indiscreetly?_ She darted her eyes around, searching for more guards. None were near her, at least.

When she looked back to Robin he looked conflicted, but determined. He searched the crowd, and stopped his gaze when he found her staring at him. He stood up straighter then, and looked back up to Much. He looked worried, but nodded down at Robin, seemingly prepared for whatever was about to happen.

Charlotte let out a relieved breath. _At least they're on the same page. Perhaps this was part of their plan?_

"Let it be known…" Robin began in a strong commanding tone, and took a step down the stairs he and the Sheriff stood on. "That on this day," he continued slowly, walking in front of one the archers. " _A grave injustice has occurred!"_ He shouted, throwing the proclamation to the ground.

The crowed murmured in agreement, and the Sheriff sneered in response. "Drop him!" The Sheriff yelled, presumably to the two guards above. Robin punched the archer in the stomach, and grabbed his sword out it's sheathe and threw it up towards Much and the two guards. It hit it's target and made an audible _clank_ against one of the guards helmets. The guard fell back, so Much took the opportunity to elbow the other guard.

" _Kill him_!" The Sheriff shouted, as he backed away towards the doors of the castle. Robin, once assured Much was able to fend for himself, turned back to the archer he had stolen the sword from. Determined to get him, the guard swung a punch to Robin who dodged it easily.

 _I had forgotten that Much and Robin had fought in a real war… Clearly they were better trained than I had imagined,_ Charlotte thought to herself as she watched the fight. The sight was almost frightening, seeing how effortlessly they slipped into warrior mode.

The crowed began to uproar, and Charlotte looked towards the gallows where the four thieves were trying to fight the executioners. Dan Scarlett had holstered himself up onto the gallows and was busy untying his sons.

"People of Nottingham!" Robin exclaimed, gathering all the attention back on himself.

He had knocked out the one archer and now had his bow, multiple arrows aimed at the guards surrounding him.

"This men have committed no crimes worth more than a spell in the stocks!"

The crowed roared with approval, and the guards began to look nervous. The energy of the crowd was making Charlotte nervous, but excited.

"Will you tolerate this injustice? I, for one, _will not!"_ He released the arrows all at once, and they hit the four guards that surrounded him. They staggered back, alarmed by the sudden shot and gave Robin the chance to run past them and help the four prisoners escape.

The plaza became a flurry of fighting and running, with most of the villagers attempting to help the four boys escape the noose.

Charlotte thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest with all the adrenaline that was pumping through her system. She pushed through the crowd to Robin. He had just cut the ties off Allan, when he spotted her.

"Marian! Get out of here!" He commanded, then glanced behind her. When Marian turned her head she spotted Guy who had see them both.

Robin cursed under his breath.

"Robin!"

Charlotte and Robin turned their heads towards Much who came running towards them, sword in hand.

"You alright?" Robin asked, nodding to Much.

"Yeah, fine." He replied, a little out of breath. "Can we leave now?"

" _Shut the gates!"_ The Sheriff shouted. "Stop them, you imbeciles!"

"Everyone out!" Robin shouted and grabbed Charlotte's hand. Everyone ran out of the square, and Charlotte nearly tripped over her own feet, but Robin's hand never let up. The crowd was loud, but less rowdy now that the boys had been saved.

When they arrived at the stocks, Robin quickly untied the bridles.

"Master!" Much exclaimed. "The Sheriff's got archers waiting for us! What do we do?"

Robin grabbed the bridle and leaned around the wall to see the archers that were waiting for them on the moat. He glanced at the Scarletts and Allan, who had followed them out, and pointed to the other horses. "We give them something to shoot at! We'll gallop full speed and we should be fine," he explained.

Everyone nodded, including Charlotte even though she was beginning to doubt how far they could push their luck.

"Come on," Robin insisted to her.

She approached the horse cautiously, thinking briefly, _No time like the present to learn how to ride._

Robin grabbed her waist, and before she had time to get flustered, lifted her up enough for her to get her leg over the saddle. Once she was atop, he mounted the horse behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and grabbed the reins.

"Everyone good?" He asked, glancing behind him. Allan and Much were saddled up on a horse, while Will and Luke saddled another horse. Dan stood by, not mounting the other horse.

"Dad?" Will looked confused.

"Go, run. I'll be back at the house. You need to lie low for a while," Dan explained. "I can't know where you go, so they won't be able to find you."

Will and Luke looked distressed. "But Dad, what if they…" Luke trailed off. Dan smiled sadly, "I'll be fine knowing you two are alright. Now, _go!"_

Will nodded, jaw clenched, then looked to Robin. The two exchanged a nod, then Robin kicked the horse and galloped towards the archers.

Charlotte was surprised by how jostled the ride became at full gallop. To steady herself she grabbed on to the saddle, but Robin sensed her discomfort and tightened his arms around her.

"I won't let you fall," he promised into her ear.

She closed her eyes just as they archers released their arrows and, just as Robin predicted, the arrows missed. The archers then drove out of the way as the three horses jumped. Charlotte opened her eyes to see the open road into the forest, and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

"We did it!" She exclaimed, breathless.

"That we did," Robin agreed.

Robin turned his head to speak to the others, "Follow me! I know a decent place we can make camp, at least for tonight."

"I'm coming with?" Charlotte asked, surprised. She turned slightly to look at his face.

"Well, I would send you back home, but I don't think you'd listen." Charlotte narrowed her eyes, and Robin chuckled. " _And_ , Guy saw you with us. I have a feeling he'd attempt to use you to lure me back out."

The admission made Charlotte's heart flutter, though she wasn't sure if it was because of what his words meant or the close proximity their faces currently were.

 _Remember Charlotte, you're not Marian. You may be "playing" her, but he's in love with the_ real _Marian,_ she tried to remind herself.

She turned back around so she was facing ahead, and tried not to lean into Robin, but he shifted his arms ever-so-slightly to keep her close to him.

_I'll allow it… For now. Might as well enjoy this…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like the update! Not as long as I would like, but I wanted to close up the first episode plot. The next chapter will do more with episode two and I've already started it, so hopefully I finish it quicker than this. Thank you for all the reviews! I'm pleased you all are enjoying the story so far! :)

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in my folder for at least 2 years now. It's taken me forever to write this first chapter due to the slowness of the first episode, but I like the results and I really want to continue. Initially I was planning on doing an episode per chapter, but I think that may change depending on how Charlotte's actions alter the story. Plus, she can't be everywhere at once, so she'll only see bits and pieces of the plot. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!


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